Finding the perfect shoes to match your lifestyle, body type and design preferences is not as simple as walking into a shop and picking the first shoe that catches your eye. You’ll often become overwhelmed at the sheer amount of shoes out there, that you might become even more confused the further down the rabbit hole you go! This article is aimed at helping you to narrow down your decision and what you should be looking for when choosing the right shoes for your comfort and performance.

Suited to your exercise

The first thing you should do is look at what you’ll primarily use the running shoe for. An everyday type of running shoe is perfect for handling general exercise and will give you a durable performance as you’re running.

If you’re someone who wants the best shoe for racing, or for workouts where you’ll be doing faster levels or running, you’ll want more of a lightweight shoe to keep you light on your toes.

A trail running shoe is perfect for someone who likes hiking or often finds themselves out running on dirt. You’ll need a better grip on these surfaces, so having a durable upper and special tread on the bottom will give you the right support.

Understand the shape of your foot

Once you’ve got a good idea of the type of shoe that will be able to match the level of performance you’re looking for, you need to think about the shape of your foot. The arch level of your foot can affect what shoe will feel most comfortable for you. Many people encounter issues here and don’t select a running shoe that is suited to their arch.

You can determine whether you have a low, normal or high arch with a simple test. You’ll need to wet the bottom of your feet and stand on a sheet of heavy paper for around 10 seconds. From here, you can see the imprint that your feet make, and what shoes would be best to match this.

*  If you can see most of your foot without a lot of curve on the imprint, your foot has a low arch. This means that you should be looking for a shoe that offers great stability with features such as dual-density midsoles. You might begin to notice some issues over time if you don’t have this stability in your shoes.

*  If you discover that there’s a noticeable curve on the inside of your foot, with a band that’s a bit less than half the width of the foot stretching from your heel to your toes, then you have a regular arch. Those with a regular arch will be happy to learn that most shoes will fit comfortably for your running needs. '

*For those that notice a larger curve on the inside of your foot with quite a thin band connecting your toes and heel, then you have a high arch. If you’re someone with a high arch, you might want to look at running shoes that have additional cushioning with little to no arch support or focus on stability features.

Check your pronation type

As something that people don’t necessarily think about when buying running shoes, pronation is essentially the amount that your foot rolls inwards as you’re running. Overpronation describes when your foot rolls inward too much, and underpronation is when your foot doesn’t roll inward quite enough. Finding the right type of shoe can help support your running, and allow for a correction of your style as you run.

Left unmanaged and without appropriate running shoes, you’ll find that you may develop problems over time that could lead to more significant damage to your feet.

How much do you weigh?

As you run, you’re putting your body under a force that is around 1.5 to 2 times your body weight, so you need to consider your weight when looking for a comfortable and supportive shoe. One of the primary reasons we wear running shoes is to help absorb and cushion a part of the impact on the ground we’re running on.

If you are carrying more weight, you might want to look for shoes that provide a little more protection and cushioning than some of the lightweight shoes on the market. Likewise, if you are quite light, buying a shoe that has too much cushioning might result in an unstable running experience.

Buying running shoes online

It’s always best to shop around to find affordable and comfortable shoes that can match your body, the way you run, and the type of running you’ll likely be doing on a regular basis. Always make sure to check out the reviews of specific shoes online before making any decisions.

Discover some high-quality options of running shoes online at Pure Running, where a number of affordable Saucony running shoes for men and women are available for purchase.